Lawn-mower.



P-ATENTED SEPT, 3, 1907.

2 SHEETSSKEET 2.

INVENTOR 9, f g 'neyg Emil a o m 3mm KW NOE Mn 1 INF Wm BAT Lu u M P P Awfi m m E 6 N. m W

EMIL FRAN KE, OF ASTORIA, NEW YORK.

' LAWN-MOWER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1907.

Application filed October '7, 1905. serial No 281,831.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL FRANKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Astoria, Long Island, in the county of Queens and State ofNew York, have invented new and useful Improyements in Lawn-Mowers, ofwhicli the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lawn mowers.

The principal object of the invention is, in a simple inexpensive,durable and thoroughly efficient manner, to combine a lawn mower and abicycle.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed as a practical embodiment thereof.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification;-Figure 1is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a lawn mower combinedwith a bicycle in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is aplan view. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is asection on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view showing thelawn mower detached from the bicycle and equipped with a handle. Fig.

6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are detailedviews.

Like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts in the differentfigures of the drawing.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral 1. indicates therear wheel of a bicycle which maybe of any suitable form andconstruction. The numeral 2 indicates a portion of the bicycle frame towhich is secured a pair of clamps 3 and 4. The clamp 4 is attached inany suitable manner to a supporting member 5. Extending upward throughthe supporting member 5 is a pair of bolts 6 each having a nut 7, and asmooth shank 8 below the member 5. It will be apparent that the nuts 7limit the downward movement of the bolts 6, and that the smooth shanks 8will permit a slight upward movement for the purpose hereinafter to bedescribed. The shanks 8 are formed upon a bracket 9 to which ispivotally connected or hinged in any suitable manner as indicated at 10,a frame 11. Extending through a bushing 12 formed upon the frame 11 isan axle 13 which is secured rigidly in position by means of a screw 14.

Mounted for rotation upon the axle 13 on the side of the frame nearestthe bicycle wheel 1 is a ground wheel 15 which is retained in positionby means of a nut 16 as shown'in Figs. 3 and 4, and is formed withinternal gear teeth 17.

Mounted upon the axle 13, between the ground wheel 15 and the frame 11,is a circular guide plate 18 which is intended to prevent grass whichhas been cut, from entering the ground wheel 15 and clogging the teeththereof.

Journaled upon the frame 11 in any suitable manner, is a gear wheel 19which is in mesh with the internal teeth 17, of the wheel 15. Inaddition to the peripheral teeth on the wheel 19 which are enmeshed withthe wheel 17, said wheel 19 is also formed with a series of laterallyprojecting gear teeth 20 which extend through a suitable circularopening in the guard plate 18 and are enmeshed with a pinion 21journaled upon the frame 11.

Eccentrically connected with the pinion 21 is an operating rod 22 whichis suitably secured at its opposite end to a sliding cutter bar 23 whichis mounted in any suitable manner upon the stationary cutter bar 24. Thestationary cutter bar 24 is provided at its ends in any suitable mannerwith upwardly extending forked brackets such as 25 and 26. The forkedbracket 25, as shown in Fig. 1, straddles the bushing 12 and isadjustable vertically by means of a screw 27 which extends through asuitable vertical slot formed in said bracket 25 and engages the frame11. The forked bracket 26 straddles a projecting portion of a block 28secured upon the axle 13 by means of a screw 29, as shown in Fig. 9. Thebracket 26 is vertically adjustable by means of a screw 30. By adjustingthe brackets 25 and 26, the cutter bars 23 and 24 may be raised orlowered to regulate the length of the grass which is to be cut.

The lawn mower structure is braced by means of a plurality of rods suchas 31, 32 and 33. The rod 31 preferably is hinged or pivoted to theclamp 3 in any suitable manner as indicated at 34, and said rod at itslower end is slidably mounted by means of a pin 35 in the slot 36 formedin the frame 11. Mounted on the outer end of the axle 13 is a supportingwheel 37 which may be of any suitable form and construction. The

wheels 15 and 37 preferably are provided with ball bearings as indicatedin the drawing.

Constructed as above described, it will be understood that the bicycleis ridden in the ordinary manner in order to bring the lawn mower intooperation. If the outer supporting wheel 37 should run over anyobstruction, the whole lawn mower can swing upward on the hinged jointindicated by 10. This upward swinging of the lawn mower will bepermitted by the bar 31 which as previously described is hinged at itsupper end and slidably mounted at its lower. end. If the ground wheel 15should run over any obstruction, the smooth shanks 8 of the bolt 6 wouldpermit the same to rise vertically with respect to the bicycle wheel.

Whenever so desired, the lawn mower may be detached from the bicycle byloosening the clamps 3 and 4. A handle such as 40 is then engaged by thebolts 6 and nut 7 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6-. The handle 40 is formedwith a forwardly projecting end 41 to which is secured the clamp 3. Therear end of the handle is bent upwardly at an angle as indicated. Anextra brace rod 42 is employed for increasing the rigid connectionbetween the handle and the lawnmower.

Theimproved device of this invention is strong, simple, durable andinexpensive in construction as well as thoroughly eflicient inoperation.

Changes in the precise embodiment of invention illustrated and describedmay be made within the scope of the following claims without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is,

1. The combination with a bicycle, ofa lawn mower supported solely fromthe rear fork thereof, the lawn mower being connected for independentvertical movement relative to the bicycle.

2. The combination with a bicycle, ofa lawn mower sup-' ported solelyfrom the rear fork thereof, the lawn mower being mounted to permitindependent movement of the end remote from the bicycle.

The combination of a bicycle, a frame pivotally con nected therewith, aground wheel journaled upon the vfor operating frame, a movable cutterbar operated by the ground wheel, and a supporting wheel for the outerend of the cutter bar.

4. The combination of a bicycle, a supporting member adjustably securedthereto, a frame pivotally connected with the supporting member, an axleextending through the frame, an internally toothed ground wheel at oneend of the axle, a supporting wheel at the other end of the axle, astationary cutter bar having upwardly extending and verticallyadjustable forked brackets, a movable cutter bar mounted upon thestationary cutter bar, gearing the movable cutter bar from the toothedground wheel, a guard plate mounted adjacent to the ground wheel andbrace rods connected with said axle and said frame, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination with a bicycle, of a lawn mower supported solely fromthe rear fork thereof and comprising a frame mounted for a directvertical movement and for a swinging vertical movement independent ofthe bicycle.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

EM IL FRANKIE.

Witnesses .Luins Inowsn, Jr., RICHARD MUELLER.

